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HireMe.jpg Career-planning.jpg Career oppertunities.gif make-money.jpg job satisfaction.jpg Graduate education is essential for maintaining a vibrant economy especially in the face of increasing global competition.It's obvious that earning a graduate degree is more prestigious than an undergraduate degree, and companies and institutions highly consider this fact when they seek for new employees. One of the major reasons of going to graduate school is being able to have numerous job offerings with competitively high salaries. Graduate studies can ensure enhanced qualifications for a career, which typically result in better, higher-level jobs. Holders of a graduate degree end up being better compensated for their education than if they had stopped at the undergrad level. In the university of Tulsa post graduate survey 2010 -2011, 90% of graduate students are employed right after graduation verses the competitve 82% for the employed undergraduate students.Increase in the employment status is a deal breaker when anyone is looking for a job in this economy. Also the survey also shows, since 2007 the employment oppertunities for grad students has increased by 30% . This shows that when the economy was harsh recruiters were concentrarting mainly on the best talents they could find to be easily trainable, multi-tasker and flexible students that will benefit thier campany. And these skills are seen more prominently in people who have earned graduate degrees. Laura Browne who is a carrer specialist in career services of University of Tulsa and also a graduate student in the university, studying Industrial/ Organizational psychology was interviewed about the advantages of career advancement by earning graduate degree. Here is her professional opinion: Q: What are the main career oppertunities of earning a graduate degree? A: Graduate degree has become an essential step to take to any career growth in the professional world. Nowadays so many doors won't open unless you have a graduate degree. When recruiters come for job interviews, in most cases they prefer graduate students leaderships ability and multi-tasking skill. And if it comes to a grad student vs. undergrad for a particular job openning, they usually trust that graduate students are more knowlegable and mature to take huge responsibilities, and therefore they mosltly will end up with getting a job. Q: What are the qualities that employers look for in a grad student? A: Besides the job requirements listed on the job postings, company's look for candidates who can balance large work load and balance work life with mulitple-tasks at a time and personal life. So during grad school, most students master the ability to balance thier personal life with school and also take continuing responsibilities from professors they work with. In grad school senerio, you are expected to lead a team specially in research areas, which is a key characterstics for company's to see if you can lead the projects independently. Q: Most people think going to grad school is a waste of time, especially if you can be making quite a lot of money by just simply working as an undergrad, is this belief true? A: I disagree. This is a common mis-belief that people have when they weigh thier option to go to grad school vs. work for a company. Make a lot of money or continue more schooling??? hmmm...What a lot of people dont realize is that company's consider going to grad school as an investment. Its almost like you were employed in those 2 year or however long you were in school. For example when you get out of college from two year grad school program, the salary amount is the same, as if you were working there as an undergraduate for the last two years. For example, the average starting salary for undergraduate petroleum engineers who graduated from TU in 2011 is $81,675. And for Masters and PHD program petroleum students the starting salaries start $94,666.67. There is at least a $15,000 difference in between. And if you were working as Undergrad for those years you could have done your grad degree, you still will be making less than the enty-level salary for grad student. So its a huge investment! Q: What can you lose in career advancement by not going to grad school? A: Well it all depends on the campany's culture on how they decide for their employees career advancement and how you perform in the company. But there is a thing called "glass ceiling" where you can't go further in your career unless you do a graduate degree. This situation mostly entails for leadership postition like Managerial positions in a project or Supervisor postions. So they in those cases, if it is your interest to manage a certain plant and lead a team, then you should definatley consider in continueing your school. Important Statistics of Grad school In University of Tulsa